Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-12-30
CONGRESSIONAL.
TNEsDAY, DEC. 20.

TNEsDAY, Dec. 20.
Senute-Message from the president
/ were presented together with commun-
| iCation from the secretary of state in re-
! ference to the invitation to this country
| to appoint delegate or delegates to the
| international exposition of labor to be
| held in Barcelona, Spain, in April, 1888,
! and commencing the secretary's sugges-
| tions to the favorable consideration of
! congress, and in reference to the invita-
| tion of her Brittanic majesty to this
| government to participate in the inter
national exposition to 0e held at Mel
! bOrGe, in 1888, to celebrate the centennial
! of the foundation OF New South Wales,
| the first Australian colony. The mes
sages were referred to the committee on
| foreign relations. Petitions from various
| states were presented in favor OF Blair's
educational bill, and also & petition from
| the citizens of Peunsy ylvania protesting
against the admission of Utah as a state
were presented. Senator Allison, from
the committee on finance, reported the
bill to regulate the importation of
| foreign merchandise and to secure uni
| formity or classification thereof, and for
other purposes under the valuation bill
Placed on the calendar. The committee
on public lands reported the bill to quiet
the titles of settlers on the Des Moines
river lands. Placed on the calendar. The
committee on pensions reported the bill
| to place the name of the widow of Gen.
Logan on the pension roll at the rate of
| $4,000 per year, and its immediate cen
sideratlon Was asked for. Objection was
made and the bill was placed on the cal
endar. Sen. Edmunds asked that the
postal telegraph bill introduced by him
be taken from the table and referred to
the postOffice committee. The bill was
so REFERRED as was also the bill on the
same subject introduced by Sen. Cullom.
Sen. Blair moved thai the senate proceed
to the consideration of the educational
bill. Agreed to; yeas 3S, nays, IA. Sen
Butler offered a resolution for the ap-
pointment of select committee of five
to inquire into the relations of the five
civilized tribes of Indians an5 whether it
is desirable and advisable to give citizen
ship to the members of the tribes. Sen.
Teller objected to immediate considera-
tion, and it was ordered to lie on the
table.
House-A preamble and resolutions
were offered, reciung that it is currently
reported that the coke operators in the
Lehigh region are now importing, or are
about to import, 1000 Belgian miners
uuder contract TO take the place OF the
striking miners now in that section; that
| the striking miners have used every en-
deavOr to have a settlement of the diff
ferences made by arbitration and that the
operators have positively refused to arbi-
trate, and requesting the president to
notify the officials of the treasury depart
ment of these facts and to urge him to
use efforts to prevent the landing of the
| Belgium miners, and to see that the law
against the importation OF labor under
contract is strictly enforced. 1t was re-
ferred to the committee on labor Pro
positions to increase the membership OF
the committee of rules to seven, and to
provide for a committee on the American
lsthmus, were respectively introduced by
| Townshend and Baker, of Illinois, and
were referred to the committee on rules.
WEDNESDAY, OEC. 81.
Senate.-Ren. Spooner offered a ,os.
CLINTON, which was adopted, instruct
Ing the committee on privileges and
elections TO inquire into the expeG-
iency of the adoption by the senate, for
the guidance of the executives of the
several states, of form of credentials of
the election of United States senators.
The resolution offered by Sen. Beck,
the 18th inst, directing the postoffice
committee to inquire into the advisable
ty of reducing the rate of letter postage
to one cent. was taken up, and referred
to that committee. Sen. Dawes
called up the bill to amend the
law concerning the commission of fish
and fisheries, and moved it be pass
ed. 1t provides for the appointment by
the president, with tn, advice and con
sent of the sen9te, of a person with
scientific and practical acquaintance
with fish and fisheries as commissioner,
at salary of $4,000 per year, such per
I son not to hold any other United States
or state office. A motion by Sen.
| Reagan to reduce the salary to
| $4,000 was rejected, and the bill passed.
Sen. Allison called up the holiday re.
cess resolution, and asked its adoption.
/ A long AID lively debate over the ques-
| tion of recess ensued. Sen. Plumb op-
| posed any recess until congress had taken
| action in regard to the surplus and at
| considerable length criticised the fnan-
! cial policy of the president. 4 lengthy
| discussion ensued principally between
| Senators Plumb and Beck on the presi-
| dents policy after which the recess reso
| luton was called up and carried by vote
/ of 81 yeas to 19 nays The nays were Ber-
/ ~, Blair, Bowen, Chandler, Davis, Dawes,
| polPh, Frye, George, Ingalls,, Manderson,
| Mitchell, Paddock, Palmer, Plat, Plumb,
| Riddleberger, Stewart and Teller. The
| Blair educational bill was taken up as
/ unfinished business and after executive
| session the senate adjourned.
! HOtSe-Mr. Randall, from the com
/ mi al
report. II recommends the adoption
| of the rules OF the 49th congress until
| further orders, with the following
| changes: standing committee is es
! tabllshed TO consist of thirteen members,
TO be known as the committee on mer-
| chant marin and fisheries; private bills
| are to bs presented through the clerk
and given proper reference By that
officer. The following select COM
! mlttees are provided for: On
reform in the civil service, to consist of
| thirteen members; ol the election of the
president and viee-President and repre-
sentatives in congress, Il consis. of thir-
| teen members; OF Indian depreciation
claims, to consist of thirteen members,
| and en- alcoholic liquor traffic, to consist
of eleven members. The rule providing
| for the appointment of s select commit
I sSS S-1 AAAAoA- ~eAS
to. The report was then adopted and the
house adjourned.
THURSDAY, DEC. 22.
Ssnate.-Ssn. DoIpn introduced bill
to provide for payment of claims for
damages by Indian depredations, ag-
gregating S14y00O,ooO. or $4,000, GOO.
The senate then took up q joint reso-
luton, introduced by Sen. Doiph Dec. Il,
proposing a constitutional amendment
on the subject of marriage aRd divorce,
AID prohibiting sigamy and polygamy-
The proposed amendment is in the fol-
lowing ~ords: Congress shall have the
power 20 legislate on the subject of mar
riage ano divorce by general laws ap-